Chapter 81 Part 1

Gu Miaoyan handed over a handkerchief, and Chi Nuan pressed it to her eyelids and cried for a long time. She kept asking what day tomorrow was, why Gu Ningzi did not come to find her… She would not not come—even if her memories became confused and her knee was injured, the one she thought of and longed for was still her…

Only when Chi Nuan gradually quieted her sobs did Gu Miaoyan, with a slight nasal tone, speak again: “I don’t know if telling you these things today will make you heartbroken or what. What I care about is A-Ning. If you are the missing link in A-Ning’s chain of memories, then could you play a positive role in restoring her emotions? —After the car accident, A-Ning was diagnosed with PTSD. She became cold and indifferent toward family and old friends alike, like a stranger. Although she actively cooperated with treatment, she… hadn’t returned to the main house for many years. Dad stubbornly refused to soften, and their father-daughter relationship could be called estranged. I kept thinking, if back then those two could each take a step back—if A-Ning didn’t uncover Dad’s scars, and Dad could objectively view your relationship with her—maybe the conflict wouldn’t have erupted so fiercely, and those heartbreaking things wouldn’t have happened.”

“…After A-Ning’s car accident, Dad couldn’t take the blow and his health collapsed. These past few years abroad, A-Ning got so close to the Lin Family, and Dad grew even more despondent. He only had major heart surgery last year. He never said it, but I know he misses A-Ning. The cat she left behind, he personally kept by his side… There are so many people in this world, but family is just these few. If one day Dad really passes away, even if A-Ning wants to call out ‘Dad,’ no one will answer her.”

Gu Miaoyan’s words made Chi Nuan think of Chi Qingchuan, and tears welled up uncontrollably again. Family, kinship—those were the hurdles she could never get past.

Gu Miaoyan poured two cups of water and shifted her mood before sitting down again: “Chi Nuan, can you tell me how A-Ning has been lately?”

Chi Nuan opened her teary eyes, still choking a little, and starting from when Gu Ningzi had her wisdom tooth pulled, she selectively told Gu Miaoyan about the events of these past few months.

As they talked, time slipped by unnoticed. Before parting, Gu Miaoyan pointed to the antique vase Chi Nuan had been fiddling with when she arrived: “It’s for you, Chi Nuan. See you next time.”

…

Chi Nuan drove to the company’s underground garage and checked herself in the mirror once more. She had touched up her makeup; aside from some swelling around her eyelids, there were almost no traces of crying on her face.

Holding the antique vase, she entered the exclusive elevator. As the doors slowly closed, Gu Ningzi and He Zhen appeared one after the other in Chi Nuan’s view—they had returned from Yun Chu.

Chi Nuan quickly pressed the button to open the doors and waited for them to come up together.

She looked at the approaching Gu Ningzi, her facial expressions and posture—as if she hadn’t seen her in many, many years—gazing at her almost greedily.

Gu Ningzi expressionlessly sucked on her Ginseng Drink, but when her gaze met Chi Nuan’s, she suddenly choked and coughed twice. She pulled out the drink and tossed it into the trash bin before entering the elevator.

He Zhen stood beside Chi Nuan and admired the flowers in her arms: “So beautiful, platycodon?”

Chi Nuan: “Yeah.”

He Zhen: “Does Assistant Chi like platycodon?”

Chi Nuan said: “Not particularly, someone gave it to me.”

“Let me think, what’s the flower language of platycodon?” He Zhen couldn’t recall, so she propped her mobile phone on her Folder and tapped to search online: “…Got it!”

Gu Ningzi, standing in front, slightly turned her head, and Chi Nuan also looked toward He Zhen. He Zhen read quickly: “Oh~ Happiness returns, lovers reunite at last.”

He Zhen teased: “Assistant Chi, the person who gave you the flowers has such romantic intentions. Are you in love?”

Chi Nuan chuckled: “…No, it’s not like that. It was from an older sister.”

The elevator arrived, and Gu Ningzi walked out first. He Zhen was still chatting with Chi Nuan about the flowers when Gu Ningzi said: “He Zhen.”

He Zhen: “Yes, BOSS.”

Gu Ningzi: “I want to see the new plan for Yun Chu’s guest room department before work tomorrow.”

He Zhen: “…”

“Before work tomorrow?” He Zhen rarely changed color. She immediately notified the person in charge of the Yun Chu project and then urgently called a meeting with the team, leaving everyone in chaos.

Chi Nuan followed behind Gu Ningzi into her office area. She found a suitable spot to place the antique vase, adjusted it to the perfect angle for Gu Ningzi to admire, and then walked to the large desk.

Gu Ningzi was flipping through materials sent from the Corporation headquarters. Chi Nuan watched quietly for a moment before speaking: “Like I mentioned yesterday, this evening I need to go to Little Wutong’s school for the class meeting…”

Upon hearing this, Gu Ningzi nodded: “Go ahead.”

Chi Nuan looked at her, full of longing and tenderness with nowhere to express it. She felt sad and regretful—she loved her, missed her, couldn’t bear the suffering she had endured, wanted to soothe her wounds, but had no standing to do so.

Gu Ningzi casually annotated a few points on the materials and noticed Chi Nuan hadn’t left. She looked up to find Chi Nuan’s gaze fixed on her face, unblinking.

Gu Ningzi: “…Why are you looking at me like that?”

She set down her pen, walked over to Chi Nuan, and slightly bent at the waist so they could look directly into each other’s eyes.

Truly eye-to-eye, Gu Ningzi asked: “Is it clearer like this?”

Chi Nuan: “…”

Gu Ningzi: “Am I good-looking?”

Chi Nuan said softly: “Yes, you are.”